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I'm exultant! Yesterday was my birthday (47 only) and I took the afternoon off to go to the beach and have a nice flying time.There was a gale though (~25Km/h winds...)

But I though I should wait and have patience.After 45min I didn't have more patience but the winds had gone down to 18-20Km/h.So I took my Soul out and adjusted bridle for high wind.Despite the wind, at the edges of the window I started to practise the Slot Machine and by Jove I got it!I was also trying to fade but the wind was way too high.

Then the wind started to go down to ~12Km/h so I readjusted bridle and started to try, and try, and try the fade endlessly! phew...So I got a few of them and I decided to try to record something (wind went down to 8-10Km/h).

BIG improvement! you have the basics of a lot of good tricks in there - isn't it great when you get a day when everything just 'clicks'.

You don't seem to have a problem getting from the Axel into the Fade - you're doing it all through the video - your problem seems to be keeping it steady once you have got it to fade ( I know that the Soul isn't the easiest kite to control in strong winds!)

I notice that when you go from axel to fade ( and when you do flic flacs ) you are putting your arms and hands straight out if front of you, close together high up in front of your face. Try to bring your arms further down by your sides and wider apart and you should find it easier to control. You seem to have the backspin too! ....it's a trick I've only recently got...it has always been a bit of a nemesis trick for me until I got the HQ Maestro. Get a few of your new tricks polished up and then we can get you started on Jacob's Ladders!!!

Hadge is right, it would help for your arms to make their way back to your waist. If your arms end up in front of you and you're not using this as setup for another trick, bring your arms to your waist while stepping forward so you're ready to react more quickly than feet will allow.

Understandably the wind speed was making this more difficult but generally speaking on entry to the fade with sufficient slack you get half a heartbeat when the nose is swinging under to get yourself set to 'catch' the lines as they meet the leading edge, and if necessary make an adjustment in your 'catch' if one side is going to be high.

Simply put, to 'catch' the kite in the fade what you're attempting to do is put the right amount of tension at the right time to cancel out any motion of the kite resulting in a stationary position. If you're too rigid or abrupt the kite will bounce off the lines. The feel for this comes with practice so keep at it.

Now with many words spent confusing the matter it's time for some wonderful video illustration by the skillful mama74.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOT SHOT!AH..,pushin the big 5-0,1965 seems like yesterday Great flying birthday boy and like the years and your great flying i am a little behind.(months) Excellent scenery and inspiring us all to fly,cant wait for my weekend.47 more years to you AraYou kinda look and remind me of the fella in the Prism videos.

Thanks everyone for the "happy birthday" wishes and for your nice comments on my flying.

Thanks Steve (Hadge) and Fidelio for the tip on my hands.Indeed, I'm aware that one of my pending homework is to keep my hands down and to the sides... I really try but it is something I currently can't overcome, argh! But I'll keep trying. I know I can do it.

I am sure they were. Your challenges need the fade as a base element. I would have probably not insisted so much in trying the fade once and again and again had your challenges not motivated me to do so.I've passed quite a few months and flying sessions really frustrated. I have reported this on the forum...With the kite entering the fade and bouncing up and down and darting to the ground. With the fractured axel becoming a sort of ugly distorted spin axel. With tip wraps. Etc.And at many moments I would have lost all motivation and hope.

But I knew I had to work on it because it is so important and otherwise I would not be able to move forward to achieve your proposed challenges and from there other tricks.So you can be sure the challenges have been an excellent motor for driving my motivation to overcome frustration and keep the spirit up.

Thanks also for the list of comments & tips.

1. Concerning the recording I am really having troubles. The places I go to I am always worried that someone passes by and steals my mobile on the little tripod I have. And the problem is I never have anyone with me to record me. This time the beach was quite empty but there were a few passers-by so I really cannot fly in a relaxed manner thinking the "camera" (mobile Samsung Galaxy SIII) is in danger...

2. Concerning the slack I know many times I don't give enough slack but the wind was a bit strong and I was flying at the center of the window when I recorded (this is why the second of the two slots that I always did in a row was never in frame and only the first was visible... pity 'cause it is really nice feeling to do two slots in a row)

3. Yes, timing is still not there yet. I need to know exactly when to fracture the axel. This is what I'm trying to work on.

4. I first started trying the fade by doing a pancake to fade. But this has always felt much more difficult for me. On the one hand, after the pancake, I always either pull to little and the kite darts down, or I pull too strong and the kite enters a yoyo. Moreover, if I get the kite to enter the fade it starts to bounce up & down and then exits towards a floor dive. This is why I started to try the axel to fade. And this has been much more feasible for me.

5. Yes, true I must walk forward when entering the fade. I had already noticed this and I will concentrate more on this. Also as Steve (Hadge) and Fidelio advise, I must bring my hands down to the sides of my waist to better control the fade.

6. Yes, I was surprised too. After getting the 540 I started trying the Taz because it looked quite similar. But the set up was not working well. I then tried the Slot, but the timing of the double pull was not right at all and I got always tip wraps and the kite to the floor. The Taz came out a few times and kind of liked it more than the Slots. But at some point, and after many days of trying the Taz, this Friday I tried the Slot once again and understood the timing and then all of a sudden I could do them every time! I'm sure it is the seemingly sterile work I have been doing during many fly sessions actually were very productive after they have sedimented in my brain.

So thanks to you and to everyone that is constantly helping me.But don't you think I'll stop bugging now!

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